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NavSource Online: Amphibious Photo Archive

USS Calaveras County (LST-516)
ex
 USS LST-516 (1944 - 1955)


International Radio Call Sign:
November - Delta - Yankee - Tango
 NDYT
Awards, Citations and Campaign Ribbons



Precedence of awards is from top to bottom, left to right
Top Row - China Service (extended) - American Campaign Medal
Second Row - European-Africa-Middle East Campaign Medal (1) - World War II Victory Medal - National Defense Service Medal
Third Row - Korean Service Medal (4) - United Nations Service Medal - Republic of Korean War Service Medal (retroactive)
LST-491 Class Tank Landing Ship:
  • Laid down, 6 September 1943, at the Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., Seneca, IL
  • Launched, 7 January 1944
  • Commissioned USS LST-516, 31 January 1944, ENS. M. J. Miller, USN, in command
  • During World War II USS LST-516 was assigned to the Europe-Africa-Middle East Theater and participated in the following campaign:

    Europe-African-Middle East Campaign
    Campaign and Dates
    Invasion of Normandy, 6 to 25 June 1944

  • Decommissioned, 28 February 1947, and laid up in reserve
  • Recommissioned, 22 September 1950, LT. R. R. Stringer in command
  • During the Korean War USS LST-516 participated in the following campaigns:

    Korean War Campaigns
    Campaign and Dates Campaign and Dates
    UN Summer-Fall Offensive-November 1951 Third Korean Winter-December 1952, January through April 1953
    Second Korean Winter-January and February 1952 Korea Summer 1953, June through July 1953

  • USS LST-516 performed China service from 7 to 13 February 1955
  • Named USS Calaveras County (LST 516), 1 July 1955
  • Decommissioned, 21 December 1955
  • Struck from the Naval Register, 1 October 1958
  • USS LST-516 earned one battle star for World War II service and four battle stars for Korean War service
  • Final Disposition, fate unknown
    Specifications:
    Displacement
    1,625 t.(lt)
    4,080 t.(fl) (sea-going draft w/1675 ton load)
    2,366 t.
    Length 328' o.a.
    Beam 50'
    Draft
    light 2' 4" fwd, 7' 6" aft
    sea-going 8' 3" fwd, 14' 1" aft
    landing 3' 11" fwd, 9' 10" aft (landing w/500 ton load)
    limiting 11' 2"
    maximum navigation 14' 1"
    Speed 11.6 kts. (trial)
    Endurance 24,000 miles @ 9kts. while displacing 3960 tons
    Complement
    13 officers
    104 enlisted
    Troop Accommodations
    16 officers
    147 enlisted
    Boats 2 LCVP
    Cargo Capacity (varied with mission - payloads between 1600 and 1900 tons)
    Typical loads
    One Landing Craft Tank (LCT), tanks, wheeled and tracked vehicles, artillery, construction equipment and military supplies. A ramp or elevator forward allowed vehicles access to tank deck from main deck
    Additional capacity included sectional pontoons carried on each side of vessel amidships, to either build Rhino Barges or use as causeways. Married to the bow ramp, the causeways would enabled payloads to be delivered ashore from deeper water or where a beachhead would not allow the vessel to be grounded forward after ballasting
    Armament (varied with availability when each vessel was outfitted. Retro-fitting was accomplished throughout WWII. The ultimate armament design for United States vessels was
    2 - Twin 40MM gun mounts w/Mk. 51 directors
    4 - Single 40MM gun mounts
    12 single 20MM gun mounts
    Fuel Capacity
    Diesel 4,300 Bbls
    Propulsion
    two General Motors 12-567A, 900hp Diesel engines
    single Falk Main Reduction Gears
    three Diesel-drive 100Kw 230V D.C. Ship's Service Generators
    two propellers, 1,700shp
    twin rudders
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    LST-516 8k USS LST-516 underway, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    LST-516 10k USS LST-516 beached, date and location unknown. LST Home Port web site
    LST-516 18k USS LST-516 beached at Guernsey Island, U.K., May 1945. LST Home Port web site
    LST-516 27k USS LST-516 underway off San Diego, after refit in 1952. LST Home Port web site
    LST-516 167k Refugees board USS LST-516 for their journey from Haiphong, North Vietnam, to Saigon, South Vietnam during Operation Passage to Freedom, October 1954.
    US US National Archives photo # 80-G-652364, a US Navy photo now in the collections of the US National Archives    		 Joe Radigan MACM USN Ret.
    LST-516 78k USS LST-516 transporting French Foreign Legionnaires during Operation Passage to Freedom in 1955. André Pilon
    LST-516 382k USS LST-516 underway, date and location unknown.
    US National Archives photo # USN 1046012 from the collections of the US Naval History and Heritage Command    		 Mike Smolinski
    USS Calaveras County (LST-516)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
    Commanding Officers
    01ENS/LTjg/LT. Miller, M. J., USN31 January 1944 - April 1946
    02LT. Reed, Clifford Emmett, USNApril 1946 - 28 February 1947
     Decommissioned28 February 1947 - 22 September 1950
    03LT. Stringer, Rufus R., USNR22 September 1950 - July 1952
    04LT. Tindle, Roy Lee, USNJuly 1952 - ?
    Courtesy Wolfgang Hechler and Ron Reeves
    Crew Contact And Reunion Information
    U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation - Navy Log
    Additional Resources and Web Sites of Interest
    The USS LST Ship Memorial
    LST Homeport
    State LST Chapters
    United States LST Association
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 15 March 2024